You know how punters get lost in too much data or bet blindly? I break down the stats and trends so you can feel confident you’re betting with more than just gut instinct.
2026 County Handicap Hurdle Preview
First run in 1920, the County Hurdle is a Grade 3 handicap run on the new course at Cheltenham, where runners face eight hurdles over two miles and one furlong. Usually run at a fast and furious pace, it was traditionally the festival finale "Get Out Stakes!" until 2009, whereas it's now the second race on Gold Cup Friday.
The race has produced some successful winners. Rooster Booster (2002) went on to win the Champion Hurdle the following year, and State Man (2022) also went on to win the Champion Hurdle, albeit two years later.
For sponsorship purposes, the 2026 renewal of the County Handicap Hurdle will hold the title of 'William Hill County Handicap Hurdle'.
Master the County Handicap Hurdle with our expert analysis of past race data and trainer records, and enhance your betting strategy with our selection of Cheltenham free bets.
County Handicap Hurdle Information:
- County Handicap Hurdle Past Winners
- County Handicap Hurdle Trainer Statistics
- County Handicap Hurdle Jockey Statistics
Why not use the trends shortlist below to help you narrow down the field and then head over to the dedicated Cheltenham tips page to see which runners are being supported by the OLBG expert racing tipsters to find yourself a bet? We cover every race at the Cheltenham Festival, and below you can find links to all of the races for each of Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday.
Best Horse Racing Betting Sites 2026
How competitive is the County Handicap Hurdle market? When looking at the over-rounds for the last 20 renewals, the most competitive market was in 2008, when the race had an over-round of 130%. The race in 2007 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 145%, whilst on average over the last 20 renewals of the County Handicap Hurdle, the over-round has been 134%, which means the bookie expects to pay out £100 for every £134 which is bet.
Below you will find the 2026 County Handicap Hurdle Trends. See which patterns have occurred over the recent renewals that you may be able to use for the next renewal. We also have a section that looks at the County Handicap Hurdle Trend Analysis. With the field now finalised, we have the County Handicap Hurdle Trend Shortlist, which is created using the listed trends.
These are the top three quickest-run County Handicap Hurdle races over the last 20 renewals:
- Desert Quest (3:52.70) in 2006
- Pedrobob (3:53.90) in 2007
- Final Approach (3:54.77) in 2011
Looking at the future form, is the winner worth following next time out? Over the past 20 renewals, if you had followed the winner of the County Handicap Hurdle next time out, then you would have backed a total of 6 winners. Backing all 20 runners who have been out since their win at SP next time out would have returned an LSP of +5.92. Remember to bookmark the racing tips page to access the OLBG racing picks easily daily.
When looking over the past 20 renewals, a time of 3:52.70 was set by Desert Quest in 2006, trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by R Walsh, which is the quickest time over that period. The slowest winning time was set in 2024 when Absurde won in a time of 4:25.10 for trainer W P Mullins, who booked Paul Townend in the saddle.
What the expert says...
Andy Powell - Horse Racing Betting Expert - OLBG.com
County Handicap Hurdle Past Winners
Here are the County Handicap Hurdle past winners for the last 10 renewals. Each row details the year of the race, the horse that won, and the horse's age & weight. The horse's trainer and the jockey at the time of winning the County Handicap Hurdle are also displayed, along with the starting price at which the horse was sent off.
| Year | Horse | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 4:05.57 | Kargese (FR) 5yo 11-3 3/1F | Paul Townend W P Mullins (IRE) |
| 2024 4:25.10 | Absurde (FR) 6yo 10-10 12/1 | Paul Townend W P Mullins (IRE) |
| 2023 4:06.12 | Faivoir (FR) 8yo 10-7 33/1 | Bridget Andrews Dan Skelton (GB) |
| 2022 4:01.25 | State Man (FR) 5yo 11-1 11/4F | Paul Townend W P Mullins (IRE) |
| 2021 4:02.27 | Belfast Banter (IRE) 6yo 10-0 33/1 | Kevin Sexton Peter Fahey (IRE) |
| 2020 4:02.42 | Saint Roi (FR) 5yo 10-13 11/2F | Barry Geraghty W P Mullins (IRE) |
| 2019 4:04.85 | Chtibello (FR) 8yo 11-5 12/1 | Harry Skelton Dan Skelton (GB) |
| 2018 4:18.00 | Mohaayed (GB) 6yo 10-8 33/1 | Bridget Andrews (3lbs) Dan Skelton (GB) |
| 2017 4:00.00 | Arctic Fire (GER) 8yo 11-12 20/1 | Paul Townend W P Mullins (IRE) |
| 2016 3:55.50 | Superb Story (IRE) 5yo 10-12 8/1 | Harry Skelton Dan Skelton (GB) |
Where have the winning runners come from?
Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the County Handicap Hurdle have been based:
- IRE: 13 winners with an additional 28 placings from 195 runners
- GB: 7 winners with an additional 32 placings from 300 runners
- FR: 0 winners with an additional 0 placings from 2 runners
2025 County Handicap Hurdle Replay
County Handicap Hurdle Trainer Statistics
The leading trainer in the County Handicap Hurdle over the last 20 renewals is W P Mullins, who has won the race eight times, with those eight winners coming from Thousand Stars (2010), Final Approach (2011), Wicklow Brave (2015), Arctic Fire (2017), Saint Roi (2020), State Man (2022), Absurde (2024) and Kargese (2025). Other trainers who have recorded multiple wins in the County Handicap Hurdle are Dan Skelton (4 wins) and Paul Nicholls (3 wins). Multiple trainers have not had the best of times over the last 20 renewals in the County Handicap Hurdle. Nicky Henderson (0-32), Gordon Elliott (0-30), Noel Meade (0-16) and Henry De Bromhead (0-11) have all failed to produce a single winner despite sending multiple runners to the race.
Here are the County Handicap Hurdle trainer statistics over the last 20 renewals for trainers who have entries in the 2026 renewal; those not listed have not had a runner. (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Trainer | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| W P Mullins | 59-8-20 | +47.25 | +38.20 |
| Dan Skelton | 18-4-6 | +72.00 | +42.01 |
| Paul Nicholls | 26-3-6 | +12.00 | +5.45 |
| Nicky Henderson | 32-0-4 | -32.00 | -20.87 |
| Gordon Elliott | 30-0-5 | -30.00 | -16.62 |
| Noel Meade | 16-0-0 | -16.00 | -16.00 |
| Henry De Bromhead | 11-0-1 | -11.00 | -9.50 |
| Gavin Cromwell | 5-0-0 | -5.00 | -5.00 |
| Charlie Longsdon | 2-0-0 | -2.00 | -2.00 |
| Tom Lacey | 2-0-0 | -2.00 | -2.00 |
| Olly Murphy | 1-0-0 | -1.00 | -1.00 |
| Ewan Whillans | 1-0-0 | -1.00 | -1.00 |
County Handicap Hurdle Jockey Statistics
The leading jockey in the County Handicap Hurdle over the last 20 renewals is Paul Townend, who has won the race five times, with those five winners coming from Wicklow Brave (2015), Arctic Fire (2017), State Man (2022), Absurde (2024) and Kargese (2025). The only other jockey to have recorded multiple wins in the County Handicap Hurdle is Harry Skelton (2 wins).
Here are the County Handicap Hurdle jockey statistics over the last 20 renewals for jockeys who have rides in the 2026 renewal; those not listed have not had a runner. (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Jockey | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Townend (Karbau) | 16-5-6 | +51.75 | +29.73 |
| Harry Skelton (Sinnatra) | 9-2-4 | +13.00 | +7.75 |
| Danny Mullins (Murcia) | 8-0-3 | -8.00 | -0.74 |
| Jack Kennedy (Bowensonfire) | 6-0-2 | -6.00 | -0.49 |
| Nico de Boinville (Joyeuse) | 5-0-1 | -5.00 | -2.50 |
| Harry Cobden (Jubilee Alpha) | 5-0-0 | -5.00 | -5.00 |
| Jonjo O'Neill Jr (Wilful) | 4-0-0 | -4.00 | -4.00 |
| Mr P W Mullins (Absurde) | 2-0-2 | -2.00 | +2.25 |
| Brian Hayes (Balko dAnge) | 2-0-0 | -2.00 | -2.00 |
| Jonathan Burke (Secret Squirrel) | 2-0-0 | -2.00 | -2.00 |
| Keith Donoghue (Hello Neighbour) | 2-0-0 | -2.00 | -2.00 |
| Donagh Meyler (Helvic Dream) | 2-0-0 | -2.00 | -2.00 |
| Kielan Woods (Tellherthename) | 1-0-0 | -1.00 | -1.00 |
| Sean Bowen (Sticktotheplan) | 1-0-0 | -1.00 | -1.00 |
| Darragh O'Keeffe (Pinot Gris) | 1-0-0 | -1.00 | -1.00 |
| Stan Sheppard (Gibbs Island) | 1-0-0 | -1.00 | -1.00 |
| James Bowen (Hamlets Night) | 1-0-0 | -1.00 | -1.00 |
| Ben Jones (Ooh Betty) | 1-0-0 | -1.00 | -1.00 |
| Craig Nichol (Cracking Rhapsody) | 1-0-0 | -1.00 | -1.00 |
2026 County Handicap Hurdle Trends
Favourites finishing positions (oldest to latest): (1, 10), 25, 2, 6, 23, 15, 14, (9, F), PU, 13, (4, PU), 6, 16, 4, 1, 10, 1, 17, 2, 1
The percentage shown is the proportion of runners who fell under that factor. High percentages are less appealing than lower ones, as you would expect them to do well.
- 20 / 20 (76%) - Beaten no more -19l (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (76%) - Within the first 17 of the market
- 20 / 20 (80%) - No bigger than 7/1 (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (80%) - Not on GS/FM/STD-SLW/STD (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (80%) - No bigger than 12/1 (Career Win)
- 20 / 20 (83%) - Fewer than 3 races (Class)
- 20 / 20 (87%) - Fewer than 10 races (Hcps)
- 20 / 20 (87%) - Fewer than 5 placings (Hcps)
- 20 / 20 (89%) - Highest Placed is not Cl3/Cl5
- 19 / 20 (87%) - No more than -21lbs (Vs Max Weight)
- 18 / 20 (79%) - Achieved an RPR of 136+ (Career)
- 18 / 20 (82%) - No bigger than 20/1 (LTO)
- 18 / 20 (88%) - Not fallen (Season)
- 17 / 20 (82%) - Held an OR of 134+
- 16 / 20 (62%) - Placed within last 2 starts
Remember to use the trends listed above, along with the Cheltenham racing predictions, to see if you can find the winner of the County Handicap Hurdle. Did you know that we have an OLBG Betting School section on OLBG? It is a place to help you improve your betting experience with articles covering numerous topics.
Are you already a member? If not, then why not? With over £6,000 given away each month in the tipster competition, why not get involved? Remember, it is completely FREE! So, head over to the registration page to sign up today! If you are already a member, then share your thoughts on the County Handicap Hurdle by adding a tip on the race here.
101 Ways to find Winners in Horse Racing
County Handicap Hurdle Trend Shortlist
Cheltenham will host the 2026 renewal of the County Handicap Hurdle, which will be run at 2:00 pm on Friday, 13th March 2026, and these are the runners who perform best based on the trends, along with the trainer, jockey and their record in the race (Runs-Wins-Places Win LSP / EW LSP):
- 15/15 Jubilee Alpha (14/1)
- Paul Nicholls (26-3-6 +12.00 / +5.45)
- Harry Cobden (5-0-0 -5.00 / -5.00)
- 15/15 Karbau (4/1)
- W P Mullins (59-8-20 +47.25 / +38.20)
- Paul Townend (16-5-6 +51.75 / +29.73)
Others: Absurde (14/15), Hello Neighbour (14/15), Joyeuse (14/15), Murcia (13/15), Sixandahalf (13/15), Ndaawi (13/15), Tripoli Flyer (13/15), Williethebuilder (13/15), Gibbs Island (12/15), Helvic Dream (12/15), Sinnatra (12/15), Wilful (12/15), Secret Squirrel (11/15), Captain Ryan Matt (11/15), Pinot Gris (11/15), Sticktotheplan (11/15), Bowmore (11/15), Hamlets Night (11/15), Bowensonfire (11/15), Tellherthename (10/15), Ooh Betty (10/15), Wellington Arch (9/15), Balko dAnge (8/15) and Cracking Rhapsody (7/15).
*Trainer & Jockey numbers are Runs-Wins-Places Win LSP / EW LSP, Runners, Odds and Trends Passed/Failed correct at the time of posting (2:30 pm Wednesday 11th March 2026), if no odds were available at the time of posting, then forecasted odds are used.
Bowensonfire won the Dublin Racing Festival Handicap Hurdle last time out, and a total of 3 previous winners of that race from a total of 19 runners went on to win next time out, backing them all would have returned an LSP of +4.67.
County Handicap Hurdle Trend Analysis
✅ The trend factor, which has produced 10+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +65.25, is when runners ran in France on debut.
❌ The worst performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners were aged 7, when backing these, the trend shows a record of 0-117.
The course which has produced the most winners of the County Handicap Hurdle is Leopardstown; there have been a total of 6 winners of this race who ran at Leopardstown last time out. The next best course, which has produced the second most winners, is Newbury; there have been a total of 3 winners of this race who ran at Newbury last time out.
The race is open to both sexes, with male runners having produced a total of 19 winners from a total of 472 runners, while female runners have produced 1 winner from a total of 25 runners.
Looking over the past renewals, there is only one stallion whose offspring have produced multiple winners of the County Handicap Hurdle; that stallion, Coastal Path, has produced 2 winners (2023,2020).
These are the stallions whose offspring have not produced a winner of the County Handicap Hurdle despite multiple attempts:
- Montjeu (0 Wins from 12 runners)
- Sadlers Wells (0 Wins from 9 runners)
- Arcadio (0 Wins from 7 runners)
- Authorized (0 Wins from 7 runners)
- Fame And Glory (0 Wins from 7 runners)
Looking at the winning odds over the last 20 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Silver Jaro in 2008, winning for T Hogan at odds of 50/1 under the guidance of Noel Fehily. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 20 renewals, there have been 4 winning favourites in the race. Before placing your bet on the 2026 County Handicap Hurdle, head over to see which runners the best racing tipsters are tipping today.
Route to the County Handicap Hurdle
Many trainers target races as preparation for the County Handicap Hurdle. These are the races which the recent winners ran in before coming here:
| Info | Last Race |
|---|---|
| 2025 - Kargese Ascot - 2nd of 7 (2/5) | BetMGM Mares Hurdle |
| 2024 - Absurde Leopardstown - 4th of 10 (33/1) | Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle |
| 2023 - Faivoir Newbury - PU of 16 (25/1) | Newbury Handicap Hurdle |
| 2022 - State Man Limerick - 1st of 14 (1/6) | Follow Limerick Racecourse On Twitter |
| 2021 - Belfast Banter Naas - 2nd of 7 (6/1) | Paddy Power Betting Shop Novice Hurdle |
| 2020 - Saint Roi Tramore - 1st of 14 (5/2) | David Flynn Building Contractors Maiden Hurdle |
| 2019 - Chtibello Aintree - 2nd of 11 (20/1) | Merseyrail Handicap Hurdle |
| 2018 - Mohaayed Kempton - 3rd of 4 (20/1) | Christmas Hurdle |
| 2017 - Arctic Fire Leopardstown - 2nd of 5 (8/1) | Irish Champion Hurdle |
| 2016 - Superb Story Cheltenham - 2nd of 17 (8/1) | Greatwood Hurdle |
Schedule for Tuesday at the Cheltenham Festival
Prepare for the ROAR of the Cheltenham Festival on the opening day, when the tape goes up for the Supreme Novices Hurdle. The feature on Tuesday is the Champion Hurdle.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 13:20 Cheltenham Supreme Novices Hurdle | Old Park Star (IRE) 6yo - 15/8 | Nicky Henderson Nico de Boinville |
| 14:00 Cheltenham Arkle Challenge Trophy | Kargese (FR) 6yo - 7/1 | W P Mullins Danny Mullins |
| 14:40 Cheltenham Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle | Saratoga (IRE) 4yo - 10/1 | Padraig Roche Mark Walsh |
| 15:20 Cheltenham Ultima Handicap Chase | Johnnywho (IRE) 9yo - 18/1 | Jonjo & A J O'Neill Richie McLernon |
| 16:00 Cheltenham Champion Hurdle | Lossiemouth (FR) 7yo - 7/5 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| 16:40 Cheltenham Festival Plate | Madara (FR) 7yo - 3/1 | Dan Skelton Harry Skelton |
| 17:20 Cheltenham National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup | Holloway Queen (IRE) 6yo - 12/1 | Nicky Henderson James Bowen |
Schedule for Wednesday at the Cheltenham Festival
The dust has settled on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival, and now on to day two. The feature on the second day is the Queen Mother Champion Chase. We also have the cross country scheduled on Wednesday, a race like Marmite, some love it, and some don't!
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 13:20 Cheltenham Turners Novices Hurdle | The New Lion (GB) 6yo - 3/1 | Dan Skelton Harry Skelton |
| 14:00 Cheltenham Brown Advisory Novices Chase | Lecky Watson (IRE) 7yo - 20/1 | W P Mullins Sean O'Keeffe |
| 14:40 Cheltenham BetMGM Cup | Jimmy Du Seuil (FR) 6yo - 16/1 | W P Mullins Danny Mullins |
| 15:20 Cheltenham Cross Country Chase | Stumptown (IRE) 8yo - 5/2 | Gavin Cromwell Keith Donoghue |
| 16:00 Cheltenham Queen Mother Champion Chase | Marine Nationale (IRE) 8yo - 5/1 | Barry Connell Sean Flanagan |
| 16:40 Cheltenham Johnny Henderson Grand Annual | Jazzy Matty (FR) 6yo - 15/2 | Cian Collins Danny Gilligan |
| 17:20 Cheltenham Champion Bumper | Bambino Fever (IRE) 5yo - 4/1 | W P Mullins Miss J Townend |
Schedule for Thursday at the Cheltenham Festival
Halfway through the festival and onto day three, where the Stayers Hurdle is the feature race. A hurdle race to test the stamina and see how can last up the Cheltenham hill.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 13:20 Cheltenham Mares Novices Hurdle | Air Of Entitlement (IRE) 6yo - 16/1 | Henry De Bromhead Rachael Blackmore |
| 14:00 Cheltenham Novices Limited Handicap Chase | Caldwell Potter (FR) 7yo - 7/1 | Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden |
| 14:40 Cheltenham Close Brothers Mares Hurdle | Lossiemouth (FR) 6yo - 4/6 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| 15:20 Cheltenham Stayers Hurdle | Bob Olinger (IRE) 10yo - 8/1 | Henry De Bromhead Rachael Blackmore |
| 16:00 Cheltenham Ryanair Chase | Fact To File (FR) 8yo - 6/4 | W P Mullins Mark Walsh |
| 16:40 Cheltenham Pertemps Network Final | Doddiethegreat (IRE) 9yo - 25/1 | Nicky Henderson Brian Hughes |
| 17:20 Cheltenham Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup | Daily Present (IRE) 8yo - 12/1 | Paul Nolan Mr B T Stone |
Schedule for Friday at the Cheltenham Festival
The final day of the festival and the feature race that we have all been waiting for, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, in which the Irish have been fairly dominant in recent years.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 13:20 Cheltenham Triumph Hurdle | Poniros (GB) 4yo - 100/1 | W P Mullins Jonjo O'Neill Jr |
| 14:00 Cheltenham County Handicap Hurdle | Kargese (FR) 5yo - 3/1 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| 14:40 Cheltenham Mrs Paddy Power Mares Chase | Dinoblue (FR) 8yo - 6/4 | W P Mullins Mark Walsh |
| 15:20 Cheltenham Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle | Jasmin De Vaux (FR) 6yo - 6/1 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| 16:00 Cheltenham Cheltenham Gold Cup | Inothewayurthinkin (IRE) 7yo - 15/2 | Gavin Cromwell Mark Walsh |
| 16:40 Cheltenham Festival Hunters Chase | Wonderwall (IRE) 9yo - 28/1 | S Curling Mr R James |
| 17:20 Cheltenham Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle | Wodhooh (FR) 5yo - 9/2 | Gordon Elliott Danny Gilligan |
Article Contributor Information
We are fortunate to have an excellent team of specialists and experts at OLBG. Contributing to the creation and maintenance of this County Handicap Hurdle Preview are Andy and Darren. They both work on the Horse Racing Tips team, overseeing the tipsters and managing the tip settlement, while also creating and managing all the horse racing event previews for National Hunt Racing.
Darren Brett
Expert Guide
Andy Powell
Expert Guide
Other Principal Races at the Cheltenham Racecourse
Here are some other notable races at the Cheltenham racecourse throughout the racing season that you may be interested in.
Races in January
Races in January (Festival Trials Day)
- Cheltenham Trophy Handicap Chase
- Classic Novices' Hurdle
- Cleeve Hurdle
- Cotswold Chase
- International Hurdle
- JCB Triumph Juvenile Hurdle Trial
- Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase
Races in April
Races in October (Showcase Meeting)
Races in November (November Meeting)
- Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase
- Hyde Novices' Hurdle
- Shloer Chase
- Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase
- JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle
- Paddy Power Gold Cup
- Greatwood Hurdle
- November Meeting Handicap Chase
